Fox News scores interview with 2020 Democratic candidate Kirsten Gillibrand — and its interviews with Democrats are still crushing ratings

Fox News anchor Chris Wallace will be filling in for
anchor Bret Baier for the interview on Monday.

The network's bookings may signal its willingness to
buck the traditional perception of a conservative-leaning news
network, and may provide a valuable opportunity for Democratic
candidates to televise their message.

Fox News continues to prevail over other major cable news
networks in ratings, and they may have found another ingredient
to their success: interviews with Democratic candidates in the
2020 US presidential election.

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Coming on the heels of its interview with Democratic Sen. Amy
Klobuchar of Minnesota, Fox News has booked Democratic Sen.
Kirsten Gillibrand of New York - Gillibrand's first interview
with the network after she declared her candidacy.

Fox News anchor Chris Wallace will be filling in for anchor Bret
Baier for the interview on Monday.

Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont may have grabbed the
spotlight from his Democratic competitors following news of his
record-breaking first-day donations, but both Gillibrand and
Klobuchar are still considered to be formidable contenders in the
election.

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Fox News' "Special Report" with host Bret Baier attracted 2.5
million total viewers during its roughly 17-minute interview with
Klobuchar on February 12. Meanwhile, CNN's one-hour townhall
featuring Klobuchar and host Don Lemon drew in 1.1 million total
viewers on Monday night.

The CNN event in New Hampshire placed third amongst cable
news networks that night, with Fox News leading with 2.5 million
viewers, followed by MSNBC's 2.46 million viewers.

Fox News' interview with Klobuchar also led the key 25-54 age
demographic with 388,000 total viewers, compared to CNN's
townhall with 294,000 total viewers.

caption

Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York.

source

Alex Wong/Getty Images

CNN has faced some criticism over its coverage of
the 2020 election, particularly after its town hall featuring
Howard Schultz, the former Starbucks CEO and a possible
independent candidate.

Democrats and other journalists questioned whether it was prudent
for the network to dedicate valuable air-time and a large
platform for Schultz, who has yet to officially declare his
candidacy. The network also faced
backlash over its recent decision to hire Sarah Isgur, a
former Republican political adviser and Justice Department
spokesperson, to oversee its 2020 campaign coverage.

Fox News' bookings may signal its willingness to buck the
traditional perception that it is a conservative-leaning news
network, and could provide a valuable opportunity for Democratic
candidates to televise their message. The network's numerous
opinionated hosts continue to face scrutiny over their glowing
appraisal of President Donald Trump and his allies. But some
Democrats, including 2020 candidates, say they recognize the
value of seeking a wider audience.

"One of the reasons I came on this show is that I believe that
candidates for office, whether a Democrat or Republican, have to
go not just where it's comfortable, but where it's
uncomfortable," Klobuchar said to Baier in her Fox News
interview. "And I love you, but, you know, Fox may not always be
comfortable for Democrats."

Former Democratic Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio, a former
Fox News contributor, agreed it was sensible for Democrats to
appear on the network.

"Democrats need to understand that Fox News is not a monolith,
that there's diversity within its audience, and that the viewers
are listening and weighing things carefully," Kucinich said in a
Washington Post report published earlier in February. "How
can you change someone's thinking if you refuse to talk to them?"